I have noticed recently that my BOINC screen saver reports that my computer is idle with nothing to analyze. I probably wouldn't notice this if I had my computer participating in multiple projects but Seti@home was and is the only project I am interested in. So, does this mean that all of the sky has been listened to? Or are they finished with Arecibo and waiting for data from other instruments to start coming in?
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Bob DeWoody

My motto: Never do today what you can put off until tomorrow as it may not be required. This no longer applies in light of current events.

Bob,
I use to have that problem too. Its a pretty regular occurrence that SETI will run out of work units. They could run out for a few hours, or a few days at a time, this is normal Bob. But you can get around this problem if you want. You can build up a kind of "Stock" of work units.

If you want your PC to have work units, even when the SETI servers run dry, try the following;

3. Near the bottom of the page there is a link that says "Edit preferences" - Click it!

4. In the section "Network usage", there is an option that says;
"Maintain enough tasks to keep busy for at least"
Bob set that to 4 or 5 days and you will always have a 4 or 5 day supply of work units ready to be crunched.

5. There is another option below that that says;
"... and up to an additional"
Set that to 3 days Bob.

6. At the bottom of that page click "Update Preferences" to save the settings.

7. Now open BOINC manager on your PC and under "Projects", select the SETI@home project just by clicking on it. There is a button to issue an "Update" command. That will get your PC to check the SETI servers for any changes to your preferences here on the website. It will see the change and should start getting you a 5 day supply of work units shortly after you issue that command.

Now you will have a 5 day supply of work units to allow you to crunch through the bad times :) You can set that Preference for up to 10 days, but 5 days should be ok. Bob when i use to run out of work units, it was like with-drawing from heroin, i use to get the shakes worrying about not having any work to crunch. But now i have my "fix" of work units to keep me going all the time. Now i'm a happy SETI addict :)

Your computer last contacted the SETI servers on 7 April 2012. The one task listed on your computer was sent to it on 2 April, and timed out on 19 May.

To enable us to help you, I suggest you post some details from your Event Log immediately after start up. Exit the BOINC Manager (select "stop running tasks" when you do so), then re-open it. Simultaneously press Ctrl-Shift-E to open the Event Log. Click on <Copy All> (found at the bottom right of the window), and then paste that into a message thread <Ctrl-V>.
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I got it back running again after some blind luck. Nobody ever said that if you stop processing data packets eventually you lose posting privileges. Alls well that ends well. I can lull myself to sleep watching the floating 3D graphic again.
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Bob DeWoody

My motto: Never do today what you can put off until tomorrow as it may not be required. This no longer applies in light of current events.